IR and composers overseas...

[irir123]

Last one year or so, I have been listening extensively to composers like John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman etc - thanks to IR of course, whose use of Western classical components in his scores has more than piqued my interest in these composers - how does IR compare with these composers when it comes to creating grand, opulent, atmostpheric scores ?

let me start with the example of Hans Zimmer's brilliant score for "The Ring" - a spooky score which has all the ingredients of Western(European) classical music - heavy use of the cello for instance - but never overindulges in using eerie sounds - a perfect example of how classical music can be customised as per the movie's dark themes/undercurrent

Listen to it here:

from 5:45 onwards its just stunning! I can even hear a rhythmic melody motif from 6:06 to 6:21 which is again repeated from 6:42 to 7:00 - its so good to hear a melodic motif in a spooky theme score! and then again, from 7:18 to 7:36 this motif is beautifully complimented by an awesome string section that weaves in and out (giving a kindof fleeting view of something through the train windows!) - which is immediately followed by the cellos which play perhaps the counterpoint for the original motif (maybe am wrong but it does sound like it) from 7:40 to 8:10 thereafter continued by a lesser no of strings playing the main theme - throughout the underlying (electric) piano keys are constantly plucked as a background!

thats the best description I can give with my limited knowledge of music!

Has IR ever gotten a chance to give such an atmospheric score in movies ?

often I feel that IR comes up with a brilliant motif but never gets a chance to develop the same into a full-fledged long score - the best example is the theme for 'Lajja' which had a very original motif - but before it could grow on me, the theme gets over! tats the tragedy of scoring for Indian movies - similar is the theme for Pandavas (the one towards the end credits)

lets hear from other hubbers